A New Beginning
by Reinao Tanaka
Summary: Sasuke's role as an Avenger is complete. He is ready to move on, but there is someone else who has plans for him which do not include returning to Konoha. SasuHina. Sequel to After the Avenger.
1. Chapter 1

This is the SEQUEL to After the Avenger, a one-shot I wrote awhile ago. A lot of people requested that I continue it, so here it is (thanks to professors not assigning much homework the first week of classes).

WARNING: This contains spoilers. If you don't know/don't want to know Tobi's real identity or what recently happened to Itachi, please don't read this. If you continue, then please don't be upset with me.

Disclaimer: Naruto is the property of Kishimoto-sama.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke stood poised for a moment over his older brother's body, staring down at Itachi's motionless form with disbelief in his crimson eyes. He lifted his hands, which were stained with blood and trembling with exhaustion. His chakra level was nearly nonexistent as a result of the battle he had just engaged in. The Avenger's head lowered, long dark hair falling into his face. The trembling of his hands had spread to his whole body and now he collapsed to his hands and knees. In mimicry of his long-ago battle with Naruto, he found himself staring directly into his older brother's sightless eyes. Sasuke's arms gave out and he barely managed to push himself to the side, rolling onto his back to lie beside Itachi—heads together but bodies facing in opposite directions.

He had finally done it. So many years of brooding over the slaughter of his clan and gaining strength so that he could defeat the Uchiha prodigy…and here it was. He had won. Yet as he lay here in the dirt and blood, no sense of triumph or elation filled him. He was completely empty—drained of hate, drained of purpose. Crimson Sharingan was replaced with onyx before his eyes slid closed. His mind abruptly called up an image of dark hair and moonlight eyes. Instead of the stench of blood and sweat, he smelled lavender. The slightest of smiles curved his thin lips.

Hyuuga Hinata.

It had been months since his encounter with the shy kunoichi, but he could clearly recall every second of it. He remembered the way her small frame felt against his lean form, the softness of her lips under his, and her way of stuttering that would annoy him on anyone else. He remembered the talent and stubborn determination hidden beneath her delicate appearance. Most of all, he remembered that he had claimed her as his own once Itachi was dead.

It was strange…he almost thought that he could hear her voice calling his name.

.oOo.oOo.

Uchiha Madara had watched the battle with growing delight. When the genius he had trained was struck down, he grinned maniacally. At last, the seed he had planted the night of the Uchiha massacre had grown to maturity. Sasuke was at last ready to be of use. For generations, the founder of the Uchiha clan had nursed his hatred of the Shodai Hokage and the village of Konoha . Now it was time to impart his hatred to this young and receptive vessel. Working together, they would utterly destroy the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

His gaze narrowed when the youngest Uchiha suddenly collapsed. It would ruin all of his plans should Sasuke die. He was not about to let that happen. He started toward the battleground, then was forced to stop. A group of three Konoha nin emerged from the woods into the battle-ravaged clearing, trailed by an enormous dog. He scowled at the Leaf emblems on their headbands, as though by that he could cause them all to drop dead.

It didn't work.

"Sasuke!" the lone female of the group suddenly exclaimed, starting toward his new student.

One of her teammates grabbed hold of the sleeve of her baggy jacket. His tattooed face was serious as he bared his fangs at the two motionless figures.

"They're dangerous, Hinata!" he protested.

She shrugged loose of her companion's hold and went to Sasuke's side. Madara's hands clenched at his sides. He wanted to go ahead and kill the Konoha nin, but his descendant was still conscious enough to be aware of it. He couldn't take the chance that it would affect the younger Uchiha's view of the 'truth' he wanted to impart to him. After all this waiting, he would bide his time just a bit longer. He settled back into the cover of the trees.

.oOo.oOo.

When Hinata emerged into the clearing and caught her first sight of the two brothers, she was certain they were both dead. His name slipped from her lips before she could stop it. She forced herself to ignore the way her heart dropped to her toes at the thought of him dead. Instead she started toward the two men, only to be stopped by Kiba's hand on her jacket.

"They're dangerous, Hinata!" Kiba growled.

She shrugged off both his hand and his warning. She dropped to her knees beside Sasuke's motionless form. She lifted a hand to lay it on his chest, dismayed to find her fingers shook like a leaf in a gale. Her breath whooshed out in a sigh of relief when she felt his steady heartbeat underneath her hand. Seemingly of its own accord, her hand lifted to brush the unruly strands of hair away from his face, opening it to her perusal. He looked older than she recalled, more world-weary and tired. The harsh life of a missing-nin had etched faint lines onto his face—an echo of the lines marking his older brother's skin. Somehow, though, the gauntness of his features only enhanced the sharp angles of his face. Even after all he had put himself through, she had to grudgingly admit that he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Even Naruto's rugged good looks faded in the face of an indefinable something that Sasuke possessed.

'And that's quite enough of that,' she chided herself.

She moved her hand back to his chest, summoning chakra to her fingertips. She would use some of her own chakra to replenish his exhausted supply. Beside her, Shino was bent over Itachi's form.

"Dead," he intoned solemnly.

"Looks like he finally did it," Kiba said from behind them, tone sounding almost surprised.

Hinata, for her part, was not. One look into Sasuke's intense onyx eyes, and she had known that he would eventually accomplish his goal. He was like Naruto in that way. Once he had set his mind on something, one could be sure that it would be done. She hid a shiver at the memory of his lips moving against her skin, the harsh whisper of 'mine.'

Again, best not to think of it.

Underneath her hand, Sasuke stirred. His hand lifted to weakly grasp her wrist, the action drawing a low growl from Kiba. His eyes fluttered open, but didn't really focus on her.

"Hinata," he whispered, the sound of her name nearly lost to the soft breeze.

She tensed in shock, lavender eyes widening. His hand dropped back to his side, though, as unconsciousness claimed him yet again.

"Take him back to camp," Shino, their squad leader, commanded.

"What about his brother's body?" Hinata asked.

The bug-user's head turned back toward Itachi. What his teammates could see of his face was utterly impassive, seemingly uncaring of the blood in which he stood. He raised a hand and a sea of kikai began to slowly flood out from the sleeve.

"I have been taught how to dispose of the bodies of shinobi," he said.

Kiba cringed when a few of the destruction bugs landed on the elder Uchiha's body. He stepped forward and scooped up Sasuke.

"I'll carry him," he said.

Without a word, Hinata followed Kiba and Akamaru from the clearing. She didn't dare look back, for she was too afraid of what exactly she might see. It seemed the Inuzuka's mind had been following along the same track as hers.

"Does Shino…creep you out sometimes?" he asked once they had traveled a short distance from the clearing.

"Kiba!" she exclaimed.

Had his hands not been full of Uchiha, he would have lifted them in defense.

"Really, Hinata. He's weird. I mean, he has bugs living inside him," he protested.

"And your dog can turn into a replica of you, and I can see someone's chakra systems. We are ninja, Kiba-kun, we are not supposed to be normal," she chided.

He frowned, knowing that she was deliberately misunderstanding him, but didn't press her further. When they reached their small camp, he set Sasuke down, watching with narrowed eyes as his female teammate again knelt beside the missing-nin. She laid a hand on his bare chest, green chakra surrounding her delicate hand.

"Do you have to touch him?" he said, surprised when the question came out as a snarl.

Hinata too looked surprised by his tone, but she answered him patiently, "Yes, I do in order for the jutsu to work."

He didn't relax until Hinata pulled back her hand and shifted away from the missing-nin almost an hour later. He was only relaxed for a second, though, for the next instant there was a loud explosion from the direction where Shino was. Brown met silver in a moment of wordless communication. Kiba frowned, but there was nothing for it.

"I'll go make sure Shino's alright, because I don't think that's part of his getting rid of the body" he said.

Hinata nodded, settling back beside Sasuke as Kiba and Akamaru vanished back into the trees. Almost without conscious thought, her eyes shifted into Byakugan, the veins in her face becoming more pronounced. Whatever was going on back at that clearing was beyond her range of vision. The only reason she had been able to sense the battle between the two brothers was because of the sheer amount of chakra that had been flooding the air. She shifted uneasily, allowing her bloodline limit to fade away, but her senses remained on high alert. The one thought on her mind was that Itachi had been a member of Akatsuki. Closing her eyes, she remembered the way Kurenai-sensei had described the Uchiha's partner—a huge, shark-like man with vast reserves of chakra. Her team was not weak, but they were more suited to stealth missions than ones where force was required. Slightly better was the thought that it might be the rest of Sasuke's team—Hebi. Their teams had been evenly matched the last time they fought, although Kurenai-sensei had been with them that time. Either option was not a very good one, in her opinion.

.oOo.oOo.

Suigetsu leaned back against the tree trunk, massive sword resting beside him. His gray eyes followed the scene in front of him with a measure of impassivity and a bit of pity for the poor Leaf shinobi. Juugo was in full-out berserker mode and Karin…well, the red-haired kunoichi was not reacting well to the absence of her precious 'Sasuke-kun.' His lip curled in a sneer at the thought, exposing razor-sharp teeth. Gray eyes suddenly widened and he jumped out of the way as Juugo caught the Leaf shinobi's feet and threw him in Suigetsu's direction. The poor guy slammed into the tree, shattering bark everywhere. Karin was on him in an instant, balling her fist in his jacket. She shook him so hard that his sunglasses—already cracked from Juugo's blows—slid off his face.

"Where is Sasuke? I know he was here; I can sense his chakra all over the place. What have you done with him?" she demanded.

The shinobi's lips moved, but no sound came out. He looked like he was barely holding onto consciousness. Suigetsu started forward, spreading his hands as part of an attempt to calm his team members. Suddenly, Karin screamed and staggered back from the shinobi. There were insects swarming all over her, her skin quickly disappearing beneath their black bodies. The Leaf nin rolled into a defensive crouch, his golden eyes gleaming wolf-like as he faced off against his enemies. Very clever. Suigetsu cracked his knuckles as he reached for his sword. Karin's screaming had faded to whimpers that were even now dying away.

"I didn't like Karin much, but she was part of Hebi. You're going to die, Leaf," he said.

"Not if we kill you first!" the snarl was his only warning before another Leaf shinobi tackled him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the first shinobi going after Juugo, but then his own opponent consumed his attention. Actually, he discovered that he was facing more than one when Akamaru's teeth sank into his leg. He whipped his blade around, carving a shallow cut across the dog's side. The shinobi's growl deepened as he came in close—too close for Suigetsu to use his sword effectively. His opponent was not the most polished fighter he had ever faced, but he more than made up for it in sheer ferocity. When they broke apart, both were bleeding and panting heavily. Suigetsu's gray eyes flickered in sudden recognition.

One Leaf shinobi with red fangs tattooed on his face. Check.

One nin-dog, white with red markings. Check.

One Leaf shinobi in a jacket and sunglasses (before Juugo had broken them). Check.

He grinned toothily. This was the same team they had faced a few months back. He narrowed his eyes at the man he was facing, pitching his voice lower to make sure the man paid close attention.

"You didn't leave your pretty little kunoichi alone with Sasuke again, did you?" he said, tone clearly insinuating the worst.

Bingo! The man's brown eyes hardened. Now to twist the kunai he had just shoved into the man's back…figuratively speaking, of course.

"Our team leader was most impressed with her _skills_ the last time they met," he added.

The man lunged at him with a cry of rage. Suigetsu took full advantage of the anger-driven attack, bending his torso to meet the charge head-on. His shoulder landed in the other shinobi's gut and he used his momentum to flip him over. He followed him to the ground, burying the kunai he had drawn into his opponent's abdomen. He had only enough time for a small smile of victory before the dog barreled into him. He too was knocked onto his back and the dog bared his teeth, ready to tear out Suigetsu's throat.

.oOo.oOo.

Hinata moved nervously around the camp. Her boys were taking far too long to come back to her. She had already packed up the camp, making sure to leave behind no trace of their presence. Three packs sat in a row, ready to be donned at a moment's notice. Every now and then, her Byakugan would activate and she would peer uselessly toward the clearing. Her attention was so focused outward, that she nearly missed Sasuke stirring beside her. His eyes slid open, chakra depletion leaving them a calm onyx rather than bloody crimson. Their gazes met and neither said a word for a long minute.

"You should still be asleep. The battle took nearly all of your chakra," she said softly.

His eyes closed for a moment, as he gathered strength, then he shoved himself up on his elbows. Dark hair fell into his face as he scanned the small camp.

"Teammates?" he asked, voice rough.

"Back where we found you. I think they are fighting someone," she said.

Almost unconsciously, she had started to press her pointer fingers together—a nervous habit she thought she had overcome years ago. His attention returned to her, dark eyes speculative.

"You aren't stuttering, Hinata," he stated.

Lavender eyes widened and she looked away from his burning gaze. She hadn't been, had she? That was odd. She had trained herself not to stutter around people she knew well, but Sasuke certainly wasn't counted among that number. She dared a glance at him through the fringe of her long hair to find one corner of his mouth tilted in the tiniest of smiles. He pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly, and she stood up to lay a steadying hand on his shoulder. Sparks seemed to surge between them through the connection and she yanked her hand away. Sasuke's gaze was faintly mocking as he met her eyes, and she realized that she should have acted as though nothing had happened.

"Hn," he grunted.

Her eyes widened as he started slowly back in the direction they had come from.

"Y-you shouldn't go b-back there! Your chakra is almost de-depleted," she said.

He spared her a glance over his shoulder, but didn't stop walking. Distressed, she hurried after him. She knew that any further attempt at dissuading him would be useless. He was like Naruto in that way. Instead, she set her jaw stubbornly, determined to ignore the blasted man beside her. Let him act all high-and-mighty, even after she had given up a large amount of her chakra to draw him from death's door. It wasn't like his presence sent shivers of awareness down her spine, or his masculine scent filled her lungs with every breath she took, or a single glance from those fathomless eyes made her knees go weak. Of course not. She barely restrained a sigh. She was horrible when it came to lying, even to herself. But she'd die before ever admitting the affect the Uchiha had on her. The one thing she did have was Hyuuga clan pride.

Hinata activated her Byakugan as soon as they were close enough, and what she saw made her worries about Sasuke fly right out of her head. Kiba was charging at a man wielding a huge blade, Akamaru lurking close by as backup. Another man was currently embedding his fist in Shino…only Shino dissolved as soon as the man touched him. The clone faded into kikai, but the slowness with which they flew off showed that Shino—wherever he was—was tiring, or badly hurt, or both. Her pace quickened into a run and she was only dimly aware of Sasuke struggling to keep pace beside her. She emerged into the clearing, the missing-nin a step or two behind. Kiba was on the ground, one hand weakly struggling to remove the kunai embedded in his abdomen. The man he had been fighting was also on the ground, staring into the face of death in the form of a vindictive Akamaru. The third shinobi was ripping a tree from the ground, bellowing in wordless anger. There was no sign of Shino.

"Akamaru! Kiba!" she cried.

She moved toward them and Akamaru's snarl faded to a whimper. He stepped away from his victim, shaggy head turning from Hinata to his master. Suigetsu, seeing an opportunity, stretched his hand toward his sword. A sandaled foot placed squarely on the blade deterred him from lifting it. His gray eyes followed the foot up to meet Sasuke's gaze.

"Sasuke-san!" he said in relief.

Juugo stopped dead at the sound of the team leader's name. He turned toward them and, slowly, clarity returned to his gaze. He discarded the tree, stepping toward the other members of his team. Shino dropped to the ground nearby, jacket torn in half a dozen places. Juugo's face contorted at the sight of him.

"Juugo, come to me," Sasuke ordered lowly.

The giant paused, torn between the desire to kill the Leaf nin and the need to obey Sasuke. Shino waited quietly, seeming to sense the need for him to remain utterly still. Even the hint of aggressiveness on his part would tip the scales of Juugo's conflicted mind toward violence and insanity. The giant lowered his head, coming to the dark-haired Uchiha. Sasuke nodded in silent approval and Juugo smiled.

Meanwhile, Hinata had fallen to her knees beside Kiba. She brushed his hand away from the kunai, drawn chakra to her fingers, and only then did she remove the weapon. Her cool chakra caressed the wound, soothing away the pain even as it healed the torn muscles and skin. Shino limped toward the rest of his team, pausing halfway to retrieve his sunglasses from the ground. He lifted them for an inspection. One lens was completely gone and the other had several cracks across its surface. Even as he studied it, the pieces fell apart and that lens too fell away. He released the glasses with a sigh, pulling his hood closer around his face as though that would help hide his eyes. He halted beside his teammates, eyeing the three missing-nin warily.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you will come back to Konoha with us," he stated.

Sasuke remained impassive, while both Suigetsu and Juugo stiffened at his command. They both looked ready to start the fight all over again to keep their leader with them.

"Shino," Hinata said softly.

Sasuke's gaze slid over to her. She had finished healing Kiba's wound and was now cradling the Inuzuka's head in her lap. He looked barely conscious, but as Sasuke watched, one of his eyes opened. He met the Uchiha's gaze and bared his fangs in a self-satisfied smile. Sasuke stiffened for an entirely different reason than the other two surviving members of Team Hebi.

Hinata was _his_.

No Inuzuka idiot would steal her away from him. Gaze holding Kiba's, he responded to Shino's comment.

"I am ready to return to Konoha," he said.

Two pairs of golden eyes, one of gray, one of brown, and—most important—one of lavender all turned to him in surprise.

"What about us?" Juugo asked softly.

"Team Hebi was formed to search for my brother. He is dead now, so there is no longer a need for this team to exist," he stated impassively.

Suigetsu glanced over at his giant companion, then turned to Sasuke. His pointed teeth were bared in a snarl and his gray eyes were glinting with Anger. Waves of chakra were rolling out of his as he prepared himself for a battle.

"You did not drag the three of us all over the map just to drop us like this! Karin died because of you-" he spat.

"Don't act like you care, Suigetsu. You were using this team for your own purposes," Sasuke cut him off.

His chakra was still in an unruffled state and he appeared almost bored by the conversation. His attitude and words seemed to only infuriate his subordinate all the more. His fingers tightened around his sword. Gray eyes narrowed as though seriously contemplating taking a swipe at the Uchiha.

"C-can we discuss th-this later? S-someone is c-coming," Hinata stammered.

Shino's head lifted, golden eyes searching the trees around them.

"Hoshigaki," he said.

Suigetsu's head turned, his focus abruptly shifting at the mention of Itachi's partner. He lifted his sword then, a smile of anticipation curving his lips.

"You go ahead. I've been waiting to face this guy for a long time," he said.

Juugo shook his head and rumbled, "He'll kill you, Suigetsu."

The Mist nin looked back at him.

"Maybe he will, but this might be my only chance to face him. I'll take that chance," he stated.

Sasuke turned away from Suigetsu without another word and Juugo followed him quietly. Hinata helped Kiba to his feet and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders for support. The giant suddenly turned and came back to them, picking up Kiba with no effort at all. The Inuzuka appeared ready to protest being carried, but Juugo spoke before he could.

"Sasuke-san says we'll travel faster this way," he said.

Kiba scowled, unable to protest the Uchiha's logic without appearing childish. He knew the real reason Sasuke had sent Juugo back for him. He didn't want his rival so close to Hinata. He bared his fangs at the other man's back.

'_This round goes to you, Uchiha, but you don't know Hinata like I do,'_ he thought.

There was no way his gentle Hinata could ever like someone as cold as the dark-haired Avenger. Whether he knew it or not, Sasuke's courtship was doomed from the start.

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This is just the beginning of the story. I'm not sure how long it's going to be, but it is at 7,000 words and counting. Look for the next section to be posted next week!

In the meantime, please leave me a review!


	2. Chapter 2

Here is the next installment of A New Beginning. Hope you enjoy. Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought of it.

To anyone who noticed/notices inconsistencies with the manga, my deepest apologies. I do not read the manga, so I'm having to base a lot of this off Wikipedia research. If I get anything wrong, I'm very sorry. I'm doing the best I can with the knowledge I do have.

The final epilogue will be up Friday!

Disclaimer: Naruto and all affiliated characters belong to Kishimoto-sama.

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The five shinobi sat quietly around a tiny campfire that evening. They had gone as far as they could in their battered state before stopping to rest. Shino had replaced his broken glasses with a new pair from his pack, but he had surrendered his jacket when he noticed Hinata shivering. The lone kunoichi had given up most of her chakra in healing Sasuke and her two teammates. Both Kiba's and Sasuke's eyes kept returning to her pale face. In the dim firelight, her lavender eyes seemed to almost glow. Her eyelids kept drooping as she fought off sleep. Her head drifted to the side, landing on Shino's shoulder. The bug-user shifted closer to help support her and, lulled by the soft vibrations of his kikai, she drifted to sleep. After a few minutes, Shino stood and lifted the limp kunoichi in his arms. He carried her to one of the tents they had set up earlier. When he returned, his usually expressionless face was set sternly. He waited until he was settled to speak.

"Kiba, don't think I have been blind to your growing infatuation with Hinata. I have chosen to ignore it, however, since you were not letting it interfere with our missions. Your behavior today has been deplorable. I won't have it. So long as you are under my command, you will behave like a true shinobi. If I catch you acting unprofessionally, I vow that Tsunade-hime will have you taken off the roster until you learn to control yourself," he said.

Kiba's jaw had dropped open and he stared at his teammate and leader with unadulterated shock. In the years since he had known Shino, he had never heard the quiet man speak so much. He stared in wonder as that hidden gaze turned to Sasuke.

"Uchiha-san, you are not under my direct command, so I cannot order you as I can Kiba. However, Hinata is my subordinate and thus she is under my protection," Shino stated.

Sasuke was completely still as he held the other man's gaze. His dark eyes were unreadable, though a flicker of what seemed to be amusement mingled with annoyance passed through them.

"I would never do anything to Hinata_ that she didn't want me to_," he said.

Shino raised his hand and slid the sunglasses from his nose. His golden eyes narrowed as he evaluated the Uchiha. Sasuke was definitely far more powerful than he was, even in the missing-nin's weakened state. However, Hinata was like his little sister and he would not stand by and see her hurt, even if it meant he was injured in the process. After a moment, he nodded and replaced his glasses. A tense silence fell over the four males.

"Do you think Suigetsu will come back?" Juugo asked.

Sasuke's eyes turned to the giant who sat docilely next to him. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he shook his head.

"Even if he survives, he won't have a reason to return. Team Hebi has served its purpose for him," he said.

"Wh-what about you, Juugo?" the soft voice surprised them all.

A light blush colored Shino's high cheekbones. He had been purposefully waiting for his female teammate to fall asleep before he addressed the other two men concerning her.

"How long have you been awake, Hinata?" he asked.

She ignored him as she came back into the firelight, sitting fearlessly beside the berserker. She looked up into his face as she repeated her question.

"What w-was your pur-purpose in joining S-Sasuke-san?" she asked.

The giant's golden eyes were almost comically wide at the fact that she was taking an interest in him. He looked into the fire before beginning to speak. His words came painfully slowly, as though dragged out of him.

"My mind is not…stable," he began, drawing a snort from Kiba.

Hinata glared at her teammate, silencing him.

Juugo continued as though he hadn't even heard, too lost in the horrors of his past, "I sought out Orochimaru in hopes that he could help me control myself…but instead he used my blood to inflict the same horrors on others."

"The cursed seal," Shino murmured.

"Sasuke-san rescued me from that. He promised to help me, and he does, but only when he is around. If he leaves me, I don't know what I will do. I won't be able to stop myself from hurting those around me," Juugo finished.

Hinata's expression had firmed as the giant spoke. When he had finished, she turned to her teammates.

"We're taking him back to Konoha with us," she stated.

Kiba gaped at her, "He's dangerous, Hinata!"

"Maybe Tsunade-hime can help him," Hinata responded, "We can't just leave him behind."

"If he can control himself until we reach the Fire Country border, he can come to Konoha with us," Shino said, ending the discussion.

After that, everyone retreated to their respective tents. Sasuke and Juugo were sharing one, Shino and Kiba another, and Hinata had the third to herself. The lone kunoichi, however, was finding it excessively difficult to go back to sleep. She resorted to an old habit from missions as a genin. Rising, she tugged her jacket on and left the tent, instinct drawing her toward the nearby stream. When she reached it, she discarded the baggy jacket along with her shoes, stepping barefoot onto the rippling water. Raising a hand, she traced a glowing line of chakra through the air. Lavender eyes slid closed as she fell into the familiar stance of Jyuuken, gliding effortlessly along the water's surface as she moved. She wasn't even aware when her Byakugan activated. Instinct swung her around, her wrist knocking away the hand that had been stretching toward her shoulder. Her eyes flew open, locking with crimson Sharingan.

"Sa-Sasuke-san," she stammered.

His gaze released hers to trail down her body. She was made uncomfortably aware of the black shirt and pants that hugged her curves. Blushing, she headed for the shore to get her jacket.

"You shouldn't be out here alone," Sasuke said.

She turned back to him, frowning as she prepared to defend herself. She was caught off guard when he held out her jacket. Utterly confused, she took it from him and slid it onto her shoulders. She reached for the zipper, but Sasuke caught her hands. He shifted closer to her. His head bent, dark eyes intent as he zipped the jacket closed. His fingers lingered even after he had finished, lightly brushing her throat. She shivered and his eyes bled crimson. She averted her gaze.

"You've ch-changed," she said.

His fingers stilled their ghostly caresses. She dared a glance back at him, but he wasn't looking at her any longer.

"I had to, in order to defeat that man," he said quietly.

Hinata backed away from him, hand lifting to grip the collar of her jacket. He was so different from Naruto. Where the blond was loud and cheerful, Sasuke was silent and withdrawn. They both had an intensity that drew people to them, but the Uchiha's aura was tinged with an air of darkness where Naruto was all light.

"I am not Orochimaru," he said, repeating his words from their last meeting.

She shook her head, "No…but you have become Itachi in order to kill him."

In a heartbeat, he closed the distance she had put between them. The lightning nature of his chakra was manifesting itself in flashes that lit the darkness around the two of them.

"I am nothing like him!" he hissed.

She flinched away from him, but he wasn't letting her go that easily. His hand grasped her chin, pulling it up so that he could meet her eyes. Reflected in their lavender depths, he could see his own reflection—the crimson eyes with tomoe spinning wildly, the long dark hair hanging in his face, the twin lines of stress on either side of his nose. His hand dropped from her chin, falling limply to his side. His eyes faded back to onyx just before he closed them. He turned away from her; unable to face the truth she had just shown him.

"Sasuke," she whispered.

His voice was harsh, "Leave, Hinata."

When had this happened? He had fought so hard to avoid the path his brother had taken. He had refused to kill Naruto both times he had held the blond's life in his hands. He had thought he followed his own path, but in the end it was his brother's face he saw instead of his own.

"_Survive in an unsightly way…"_ Itachi's voice echoed in his head.

His hands lifted, fisting in his disheveled hair. The heel of both hands pressed into his eyes in an attempt to stave off the hot tears he felt gathering behind his eyelids. A pair of arms suddenly reached around him as the scent of lavender filled his nostrils.

"I wanted to be different," he whispered.

Hinata seemed to sense that he was talking to himself and she remained silent, just holding him. He turned in her embrace, arms falling limp to his sides. He felt like that helpless eight year-old again, watching as everything he had thought he knew fell apart in front of his eyes. The tears escaped and he knew Hinata had to feel them soaking her hair, but she gave no sign.

"You're still a young man, Sasuke," she said at last, "There's time to change."

As one, they both stiffened. Hinata's head lifted slightly and their eyes met. What had just passed between them was set aside in light of a more immediate concern. Someone was watching them. Sasuke put his arms around her and formed a seal beneath the cover of her hair. They vanished in a puff of smoke, reappearing in the camp. Hinata immediately headed for the tent Kiba and Shino were sharing, while Sasuke went to wake Juugo. Hinata flung open the tent flap, causing Kiba to twitch and sit up.

"I'm up!" he exclaimed reflexively. His brown eyes narrowed, "Hinata-?"

"We need to move now," she stated.

Shino sat up as well, already sliding his sunglasses onto his nose.

"Grab your pack, Kiba," he said.

"What about-" the Inuzuka began.

"No time," Hinata said.

Kiba scrambled after his teammates, who were already walking away. He leaned on Akamaru for support as he pulled his shoes on. By the time he caught up with Shino and Hinata, the other two shinobi had joined them.

"We head for Konoha. Everyone, stay close and alert," Shino ordered.

.oOo.oOo.

Uchiha Madara stalked the five shinobi as they headed toward the Fire Country. Behind his orange mask, his gaze was narrowed in frustration. He should have taken the Konoha nin out when he had the chance. He had been about to kill the most dangerous of the trio—that Hyuuga girl—when Sasuke had joined her. He had allowed his anger to get the best of him and alerted them to his presence. It had been a foolish mistake, one that Tobi would make. Acting the fool was beginning to affect the rest of his skills.

He needed to act soon. If his descendent made it back to Konoha, it would become much harder to get to him. He had to strike now, while Sasuke was still vulnerable from his brother's death. He stretched a hand up to slide the mask from his face, eyes bleeding to red.

"Tobi," the harsh voice caught him by surprise.

He allowed himself to flinch and stumble, nearly falling off the branch he was on. Kisame's fist tangled in the back of the other man's Akatsuki robes, saving him from falling. The shark-nin regarded him narrowly, clearly unpleased to find him here.

"Hello, Kisame-san!" Madara chirped, forcing himself to fall once again into the role of an idiot.

_'Soon,'_ he told himself.

Once he had Sasuke, the rules to this game would change. Kisame set him down on the same branch he stood on. Studying the shark-nin's face, he noted a strain that hadn't been there before. It seemed the Mist ninja had become attached to his late partner.

"Itachi has been killed. We need to report to the Leader," he stated.

"But Kisame-san, one of those nin has Itachi-san's ring. Tobi is a good boy. He was going to retrieve it," Madara said.

Kisame's head turned in the direction of the fleeing shinobi. His white eyes closed for a moment and Madara saw his hand twitch as though he wanted to rub his face. For all his vast size and chakra, the Mist ninja was weak if he allowed his bonds to affect him so much.

"We have an appointment at Konoha to collect the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. We can regain Itachi's ring then as well," he said, "Come along, Tobi."

Inwardly, Madara was seething at the order. Did this man think he was some sort of dog? He managed to maintain his cheerful tone as he protested, "But, Kisame-san-"

"I won't repeat myself, Tobi," Kisame growled, what patience he had snapping.

A wave of chakra swirled around him in threat. The founder of the Uchiha clan fell in behind him, sending one last glance toward his future apprentice. The numbers of Akatsuki had already been too far diminished for him to kill another of its members. Sasuke would be his, though. The same blood that flowed in his veins flowed in the veins of the youngest Uchiha, and for that reason alone Madara knew Sasuke would come to him. He would never be content in Konoha, for all Uchihas were drawn to continually gain more power. Only he could provide the teaching Sasuke would seek. Madara cocked his head, just now realizing that Kisame had two swords strapped to his back.

"Where did you get your new sword, Kisame-san?" he asked.

The shark-nin slanted a glance back toward him.

"It used to belong to one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. Some fool found it and thought he could challenge me. I took the sword to keep it from falling into some other idiot's hands," he said.

Madara was quiet, falling into his own thoughts as they traveled on. Kisame, for his part, was grateful for the silence. He had always thought Uchiha Itachi was invulnerable. It was a myth his partner had carefully constructed around himself, but Kisame had seen him go into situations where he should have been killed and come out alive too many times for him to not believe the myth as well. Even in recent months, while Itachi had been desperately ill, he had never faltered in battle.

'_I shouldn't have left him alone,'_ he thought, _'But I never thought his brother would ever be strong enough to seriously challenge him, let alone actually _kill_ him.'_

He had been too confident in Itachi's invulnerable aura, but as the Uchiha's partner he should have been able to see through it. Kisame blamed himself for the news he was now carrying back to the leader of Akatsuki.

.oOo.oOo.

It was when Kiba collapsed that Shino at last called a halt to their flight. Hinata knelt beside her teammate, who was clutching at his stomach, and immediately called chakra to her hands. Shino crouched down a few feet away, his own breath coming in harsh pants. Sasuke leaned against a tree trunk, exhausted but unwilling to show his weakness. Out of the five, Juugo was the only one still in good condition. The giant edged closer to Sasuke, golden eyes concerned.

"Sasuke-san, you have a curse seal. I could-" he began quietly.

The Uchiha shook his head. Juugo watched him another moment before moving over to Hinata.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

Hinata glanced over at Shino then lifted her head to meet Juugo's eyes.

"If you could find water and refill our canteens," she said.

He nodded and collected the bottles before moving into the forest. Hinata's brow furrowed as she found what had made Kiba collapse. A section of muscle that she had healed earlier was torn again. Chakra healing was an amazing thing, but the injured area still required rest for it to fully heal. She reattached the torn muscle and moved on to Shino. His chakra levels were still dangerously low and his cracked ribs had to hurt even though he didn't show it. She called chakra to her hands, frowning when it flickered. Her own chakra levels were getting low too. Shino had caught the flicker and he shook his head.

"I will survive until we get to Konoha," he stated, "Conserve your chakra."

Hinata didn't bother protesting. Her team leader was right. None of them were in good condition to fight. Her own technique, which relied so heavily on chakra, would not function at her current levels. Shino's bugs also relied on his chakra, so they wouldn't be much use either. Kiba, who was a very hands-on brawler, would be undone by the first good hit to his stomach and Akamaru wouldn't be much better. Sasuke's chakra had to still be low after his fight with Itachi, but she had the feeling that he would do well anyway. Juugo would of course be fine, since he had not been injured in the first place. Her lips curved in a humorless smile. It was really quite ironic. Their safety depended on the two missing-nin who were technically their captives.

Juugo came back with the water and they all took turns drinking from the bottles. Shino pulled out ration bars from his pack and passed them around. Hinata forced herself to eat all of her bar. It tasted horrible, but the nutrients it provided would help restore her chakra more quickly.

"We'll rest here for a few hours, then continue to Konoha," Shino decided.

He had sent out a few of his kikai to patrol the area and it seemed that they had lost the person who had been following them. It should be safe to sleep for a short while, at least, and he doubted his teammates could continue on anyway.

Kiba crumpled the wrapper of his bar and stuffed it into his pocket, taking one last sip of water before he curled up. Akaramu stretched out next to him. Hinata laid down a short distance away and Shino settled beside her, though he remained sitting. Sasuke leaned back against a tree trunk, leaning his chokuto against his shoulder. He watched through partially-closed eyes as Shino and Juugo exchanged a glance.

"I can keep watch," the giant said.

Shino hesitated a moment, unsure whether or not he could trust the berserker. The man was eying him with perfect sanity now, but who knew when that could change? He had seen with his own eyes how quickly Juugo could go mad.

"I would not hurt Sasuke-san…or Hinata-san," the giant added.

At last, Shino nodded. He lay back beside his female teammate.

"Thank you," his voice drifted quietly across the clearing.

Sasuke was the first to wake up. Judging by the light filtering through the trees, it was already late afternoon. They had all slept later than they intended. He raised his head to see Juugo still standing guard. His eyes shifted down to where the Uchiha sat and he smiled.

"Everything is quiet, Sasuke-san," he said.

The dark-haired Uchiha nodded and rose fluidly to his feet. His chakra was back to an acceptable level, so he didn't need any more sleep. A nod at Juugo told the giant to stay where he was. Sasuke started deeper into the trees. He had only gone a few feet when a soft voice stopped him.

"Sasuke, where are you going?" Hinata called.

He turned to find the Hyuuga running up to him. Her long hair was disheveled from sleep and she still looked tired. He held her gaze for a moment before lifting an eyebrow. Her eyes widened in comprehension. She started to turn away, blushing deeply.

"G-gomen," she stammered.

He reached out to grab hold of her arm.

"Hinata," he said.

Slowly, she looked back up at him. He shifted closer to her, unable to help himself. Her head lifted slightly as her eyes slid closed. Sasuke bit back a groan, remembering Shino's admonition not to hurt her. But she was so close, and so beautiful, and she was all but asking for him to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered open, her gaze uncertain.

"Sasuke?" she whispered.

He released her arm and left her standing there, utterly confused.

.oOo.oOo.

Hinata traveled in the rear of the group, her lavender gaze lifting now and then to Sasuke's back. She was a roiling mass of emotions after their little encounter in the woods. Still fresh in her mind was the memory of her fight with Sasuke several months ago, when he had arrogantly claimed her as his own. She had been certain that he would fulfill his role as Avenger and come for her, so she had been struggling with her emotions ever since then. She had agonized over her unrequited love for Naruto, contrasting it with her physical attraction to the Uchiha. Naruto had come out on top then but, after Sasuke had cried on her shoulder, she hadn't been so sure. Earlier today, she had all but melted when he stepped close to her.

Maybe he had just been interested in the thrill of the hunt and, when she surrendered, he lost interest. Or maybe she had just been too forward and had put him off. Her scrutiny of the back of his head yielded no answers to her internal dilemma. Though she doubted his face would be any easier to read. Her lavender eyes narrowed in frustration.

Yes, she was shy.

Yes, she hated conflicts.

But, by kami, she had not spent all these months agonizing over Uchiha Sasuke just to let him cast her aside for no reason at all. She wanted answers!

"Shino," she said boldly.

The four men, plus Akamaru, paused to turn back to her. Well, at least three of them did. That blasted Uchiha just leaned against the nearest tree trunk and studied the bark at his feet as though it held the secrets of the universe.

"We need to take a break for a few minutes," she said.

Mystified by her uncharacteristic assertiveness, Shino simply nodded. The three men watched as she marched over to where Sasuke stood. Kiba bristled at how close to the missing-nin she was, growling low in his throat. Shino silenced him with a glance, curious to hear what his shy teammate intended to say.

"Uchiha," she said.

His head tilted slightly as though acknowledging her, but he didn't lift his eyes.

"Now you aren't even going to look at me? _You're_ the one who is supposed to be doing the pursuing here, Uchiha," she said.

Kiba inhaled wrong and started choking violently. Shino gave his teammate a few half-hearted slaps on the back, too riveted by the scene playing out in front of him to really help. Juugo was watching with a light of humor in his golden eyes. Hands on her hips, Hinata inched closer until their chests were brushing with every breath they took. For once she was grateful for her petite stature, since she was just short enough to look into his eyes at this distance. Her voice lowered in pitch, but lost none of its passion.

"I did not force myself to get over Naruto-kun just for you to ignore me, Uchiha," she whispered fiercely.

His gaze brightened until she could almost see the crimson of his Sharingan gleaming through the natural onyx shade. The look he was sending her was so intense that she felt her breath shorten. When he remained silent, though, she made herself plow forward.

"At least s-say someth-thing. don't just l-loo-" she stammered as a blush darkened her fair complexion.

She was making an utter fool of herself, wasn't she? Of course, both her words and her inner condemnation were abruptly cut off when Sasuke's fingers brushed her throat. She swallowed when his other hand caressed the curve of her waist, carefully pulling her even closer to him. His head lowered until she could feel the loose tendrils of his hair teasing her suddenly oversensitive lips.

"I won't let you go once I have you," he murmured lowly.

It wasn't until her lungs began to burn that she remembered air was essential to life. She drew in a shaky breath.

"I know," she whispered at last.

Sasuke's eyes blazed with muted triumph, but he didn't even spare the still-choking Kiba a glance before he claimed Hinata's lips.

* * *

This isn't the end! The final part will be up on Friday, so look for it then.

**Bookworm007:** Hope this answered your questions about Hinata's feelings for Naruto. As for their ages, I'm not entirely sure of the Shipuuden timeline. I am assuming that they are between fifteen and sixteen at this time. I know that they are all fifteen at the start of Shipuuden, but I don't know how much time passes between then, the forming of Team Hebi, and Sasuke's confrontation with Itachi. If anyone does know, please inform me!

Thanks to **Anotamous**, **Maya Aquaria**, **Steveo 352, LoveCarriesMyEntireWorld, Deepxwriterxaboutxeverything, Neonlion, Champylin**, **Yourtypicalpsycho, HeartBrokenHinata, Otherrealmwriter, Blackraven615, Lazyguy90, **and **N0-n0** for reviewing last chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Whew, it's finally done. Nearly 11,000 words total and written in a couple days. This is definitely a record for me. Hope you enjoy!

This chapter is dedicated to **Diablo's** **Heir**. I am SO sorry I forgot to mention your review last chapter. I somehow missed it.

Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns it. I'm just playing with the characters.

* * *

Nine years later...

"'Help me re-revive the clan,' you s-said. Oooh...'It'll be...be f-fun,' you said!" Hinata's words cut off in another moan.

"Breathe, Hinata," Sasuke advised.

The glare she sent his way made him wisely decide to keep quiet. At the foot of the bed, Sakura gave him a sympathetic smile, all the while holding back laugher at the frazzled look on the Uchiha's face.

"You're doing well, Hina-chan. Just a bit longer and you'll be able to greet this little one," she encouraged.

Sasuke winced as another contraction hit and his wife tried to break his hand, so tightly was she gripping it. His dark eyes were concerned as he looked down into her sweaty face. It was contorted in pain, but her lavender eyes were filled with determination.

Just outside the room, six year-old Kazuki tugged on the sleeve of the giant who sat next to him. His wide, dark eyes were fixed on the door as he heard his mother moaning.

"Juugo-ojisan," he said, "It's taking an awfully long time."

The giant smiled down at the little boy, carefully shifting the toddler who was asleep in his arm. The little girl, whose name was Eri, woke at the movement, her dark eyes blinking up at the man who held her before she returned to sleep. On his lap, her twin brother Eiji slept on despite the noise around him.

"Your brother and sister took even longer," Juugo responded.

Kazuki pouted a little at this, narrowing his eyes in thought. With his dark hair and eyes, the boy was all Uchiha. He looked like a miniature version of his father, right down to the unruly cut of his hair.

"But there were _two_ of them. Sakura-san said there was only _one_ this time," the boy protested.

Juugo smiled his approval of Kazuki's logic.

"Maybe your new brother is afraid to leave everything he's known to come into this new world," he said.

The little boy reached over to gently run his fingers over his sleeping brother's short hair. His brow drew down into an expression of concentration. He suddenly brightened.

"I'll just haf-ta protect him then. It's my job as a big brother," he declared.

The smile on Juugo's face widened. Sasuke and Hinata were doing an excellent job raising their children. There would be no reason to fear another Itachi in the reborn Uchiha clan. Kazuki stifled a yawn, his head drooping despite his best efforts to stay awake. Their day had begun in the wee hours of the morning when Hinata went into labor and, despite doing nothing but sit in a hospital chair for hours on end, the little boy was exhausted. The giant managed to free the arm Eiji had been using as a pillow, curling it around Kazuki. His dark eyes had just closed when the door at the end of the hall banged open. Juugo's arm tightened protectively around the lone girl of the bunch, while his other barely saved a startled Eiji from rolling off his lap. Eri surveyed the scene before bursting into loud tears, her quieter twin only whimpering his accompaniment. Kazuki had slid out of his chair as the door opened, drawing a kunai. Juugo frowned, wondering where the little boy had produced it from. The eldest Uchiha child relaxed when he recognized the two who had entered.

Inuzuka Kiba was first. It was his careless entrance that produced the banging door. Aburame Shino was close behind him and even now smacked his friend over the head.

"What part of 'quiet' didn't you understand?" he said.

Kiba's brown eyes narrowed as he glanced back at Shino, deciding to ignore the question. Thankfully, Kazuki's interruption prevented the disagreement from escalating.

"Shino-ojisan, Kiba-san! Kaasan has been in there for _hours_," the boy's tone made the inconvenience of the situation clear.

Shino knelt down in front of the boy and said, "These things take quite awhile."

"That's what Juugo-ojisan said too," Kazuki said, making a face.

Kiba's eyes had turned toward the door to the hospital room. Although the bonds between the members of Team 8 remained even after nine years, Kiba's relationship with Hinata had become strained after she chose Sasuke instead of him. The special-class jounin was much quieter than he had once been and was oddly reserved for an Inuzuka. Shino, on the other hand, had grown even closer to Hinata over the years. Hinata treated him like her brother, hence why her children referred to him as their uncle. He had been the one to demand that Kiba come to the hospital with him, for he still hoped to repair the break between his two teammates.

Shino now settled easily beside Juugo, taking the screaming Eri from the giant. He held her close, whispering soothingly into her ear, and she quieted within seconds. Her dark eyes turned up to study his face. Pudgy fingers stretched upward, pulling the sunglasses off his nose so she could study them closely. Shino smiled indulgently at the little girl. All three of Hinata's children had stolen his heart and he spoiled them horribly.

Meanwhile, Kazuki had taken advantage of the adults' inattention. He crept toward the door of the room where his parents were, pressing an ear to the wood. He wished he had inherited his okaasan's Byakugan instead of the Sharingan. That way, he could have just activated it and seen what was going on in the next room. It was oddly quiet, so he tried using chakra to enhance his hearing. He had only recently learned the technique in one of his academy classes, but it was coming in handy whenever the adults wanted to discuss something without him knowing.

A piercing wail came through the door, sending him reeling backward. As soon as he lost concentration, the technique had dissipated but his eardrum was still ringing. He unobtrusively returned to his place beside Juugo, reaching it just as the door to the delivery room opened. Sakura peeked out, emerald gaze roving the waiting group. Her eyes landed on Kazuki and she smiled warmly.

"Your little brother is finally here. Do you want to come see him, Kazuki-kun?" she asked.

Kazuki nodded, thrilled that no one seemed to have noticed his earlier skulking. He glanced up at Juugo to find the giant watching him. One of those golden eyes slid shut in a wink. Kazuki deflated. Of course his ojisan would have been aware of what he had done. The little boy perked up again as he entered the delivery room. He hesitated just inside the doorway though, dark eyes landing uncertainly on his parents. Sasuke's lips turned upward in a slight smile at the sight of his eldest son.

"Come see your brother," he urged.

Kazuki continued forward more boldly, reaching the bed and stretching up on his tiptoes to see the bundle his okaasan cradled against her chest. She leaned forward slightly, pulling back the edge of the blanket to reveal the baby's face. Kazuki's nose wrinkled.

"Is it human?" he asked doubtfully.

At the moment, the little round object resembled the tomatoes his otousan loved so much far more than it did a human. Sasuke gave a soft chuckle, ruffling his son's hair.

"His name is Akira," he said.

Kazuki cocked his head, eyeing his new brother speculatively. He was rather certain that his otousan was wrong. There was no way that tomato could be a little person like Eiji and Eri. He reached out a finger to poke at the wrapped bundle. The baby opened one eye, then the other, unfocused gaze fixing square on Kazuki. Unlike his three siblings, little Akira had inherited the Byakugan, so his eyes were silver instead of onyx. A chubby hand extended from the mass of blankets, tiny fingers closing around Kazuki's. The boy was forced to retract his opinion. As always, his otousan was right. This was his little brother. He favored the baby with a bright grin.

"I'm your big brother," he whispered, "And you don't need to be scared anymore. I'm gonna protect you!"

While Kazuki had been acquainting himself with his new sibling, Sakura had allowed the others to enter the room. Juugo was carrying Eiji, who had fallen asleep on the giant's shoulder. Shino held a squirming Eri, who had obviously had enough of napping and was ready to explore. Last to enter was Kiba, hands shoved in his pockets and shoulders hunched. He remained by the door while the other two men went straight to the bed.

"Congratulations," Shino said, calm despite the wriggling child he held.

"Thank you, Shino," Hinata responded.

Her face was glowing as she looked down at her newest child. All her complaints against her husband seemed to have vanished now that she was holding Akira.

"He's beautiful," Juugo added sincerely, drawing another smile from Hinata.

Sasuke's attention had turned to his former rival. The Inuzuka's eyes lingered on the four children, longing and resignation mingled in their brown depths. Sasuke watched him for a moment. He knew that Hinata was his, so he felt no jealousy at the way Kiba looked at his wife and children. The Uchiha turned to his wife, taking Akira from her without a word. Wide-eyed, she watched as he strode over to her former teammate. Kiba's gaze had turned to Sasuke the moment he began to move. He shifted warily as the other man stopped in front of him. They faced off for a tense moment.

"Do you want to hold him?" the low question from Sasuke stunned all the adults.

Kiba's eyes darted over his former rival's shoulder to first Hinata, then Shino. Slowly, he nodded. Sasuke carefully transferred his newest son into Kiba's arms. The Inuzuka stared down at the new life with an expression of awe in his eyes. A grin crossed his weathered face. He met Sasuke's gaze, inclining his head in a nod.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Sasuke nodded in response. He half-turned to meet Hinata's eyes, finding them glittering with tears. His lips twitched in a smirk full of smug satisfaction that he could still surprise her after nine years. Dark eyes moved on to the twins, so alike in looks but different in personality, and at last to Kazuki who was protectively watching his newest sibling. These four were the beginning of the Uchiha clan.

A new beginning.

.oOo.oOo.

A few months later, Kazuki was running full-tilt down one of the deserted streets of the Uchiha compound. The sun had already vanished behind the roofs of the buildings, casting deep shadows everywhere he looked.

Otousan was going to kill him!

Well, he conceded, his otousan wouldn't kill him, but he would definitely be punished. He was supposed to always be home before dark. However, after his classes at the academy let out today, he had gone to one of the training fields to practice his shuriken throwing. Time had passed more quickly than he thought, especially since he had blindfolded himself during practice. Thus, evening had come before he realized it. Now, he was running as fast as he could in a vain attempt to make it home before full dark descended on Konoha. He suddenly tripped on something and went sprawling face-down in the dirt. Someone cleared their throat from the shadows. Without even raising his head, Kazuki threw a shuriken in the direction of the sound. He rolled onto his back and pulled himself further away from whoever it was, rising to a defensive crouch.

A man stepped into the last light of the sun, his dark hair hiding his eyes. He spun the shuriken lazily on one finger, drawing the boy's gaze down to it. Kazuki's eyes widened. The man had caught the shuriken through the hole in the center! He must be really good. The stranger lifted his head, revealing eyes that caught the sun's bloody hue and intensified their crimson color.

The Sharingan.

Kazuki's breathing quickened and he scrabbled backward without rising from his crouch. His knuckles were white from his grip on the kunai he had pulled out along with the shuriken he had thrown. His otousan had said they were the only Uchiha left. No one outside the clan, other than Kakashi-sensei, had the Sharingan. Kazuki's gaze slid to the side, estimating if he could reach safety. Judging by the dark chakra oozing from the stranger, he highly doubted he would get more than a few steps before he was caught.

"Hello, Kazuki-kun. I have been waiting for a chance to meet you," the man said.

Kazuki brought the kunai up in a defensive position.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The stranger chuckled, sending chills down the boy's spine. In answer, the tomoe of his Sharingan began to spin. Kazuki narrowed his own eyes, onyx bleeding to crimson as he concentrated. This seemed to surprise the stranger, for he stopped whatever attack he had been planning.

"You have already activated your Sharingan," he murmured, "And a year earlier than Itachi was able to."

Kazuki bristled at the mention of his uncle's name. He had heard the story of his otousan's past, for Sasuke had prepared him to be taunted on his first day at the academy. The training hadn't been in vain, either, for the other children had accused him of being a traitor just like his otousan. He had silenced them by consistently scoring the highest grades in his class, and by whooping their butts whenever they were paired off for a practice fight.

"Who are you?" he repeated.

The man smiled coldly.

"Why, Kazuki-kun, I am your grandfather, removed several generations of course," he said.

"That's impossible," the boy responded with all the confidence of youth.

"It is not so impossible as you think," the stranger...his grandfather?...said, inching closer.

Kazuki took a step back, flinching as his back hit the wall of the building behind him. The kunai trembled in his hand as he felt the dark tendrils of the man's chakra reaching out to entwine around him. He held the man's gaze without flinching, though. His otousan always said that looking away from your opponent not only showed weakness, but could give them an opening to defeat you. Of course, this man could probably defeat him whether or not he kept his eyes on him. At least he wouldn't show any weakness. A breath whooshed out of him when he felt his otousan's familiar lightning chakra coming closer. The stranger scowled, obviously feeling it as well.

"Another day then, Kazuki-kun," he said.

He vanished into the darkness as though he had become the darkness itself. An instant later, his otousan was there. He had his chokuto with him, Kazuki noticed, and lightning wreathed the blade in preparation for battle. Identical crimson met as he locked gazes with his otousan. Kazuki's eyes quickly faded back to onyx, exchanging the tomoe for tears.

"Who was here?" the elder Uchiha demanded.

"I d-don't kn-know," Kazuki stammered.

Sasuke's gaze softened and he sheathed his blade, wrapping his son in his arms. For all Kazuki's skill and maturity, he was still such a young child--as Hinata consistently reminded him when Uchiha pride obscured that fact. He lifted the seven year-old easily and began to carry him back home.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Madara watched his descendants. He had come so close, only to be foiled yet again. He could wait for the boy to become a little older or, if that failed, there was always one of the twins. The youngest, with the Hyuuga eyes, would of course be no use to him. But there might be more born with the Sharingan later.

He could wait, after all.

He had an eternity.

* * *

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I have read, Madara is immortal right? He certainly doesn't look like he's seventy or so. Anyway, this is the part where I complain that I can't seem to end a story. They just want to keep going. -sigh- As for the names of the children...Kazuki was really the only one with a very special meaning. According to the website I got it from, his name means 'first of a new generation' which I thought was appropriate. Eiji means 'splendid second son' though he slept more than showed off his splendidness (no, it isn't a word). Eri means 'blessed prize.' And, since Akira had the Byakugan, I went with the Hyuuga tradition of the name having something to do with the sun/fire. His name means 'bright dawn.'

Please leave a review to let me know what you thought. It can be as short or long as you want!

**Bookworm007:** I do have a thing for captor/captive relationships, don't I? and I just can't imagine Juugo/Hinata. Well, I suppose I could, but SasuHina is just so much better. :D

**Champylin:** I leave it up to you whether Kisame killed Suigetsu, or just took the sword away from him like a parent takes a toy from a spoiled child. ;D

Thanks to **Blackraven615, xFlawed Imperfectionx, HeartBrokenHinata, ChocoGONEsushi** (your review made me laugh), **Jazzelie, Reckoning in Death, Winterkaguya**, **Akai-sora, LoveCarriesMyEntireWorld, Toni, Lazyguy90, Deepxwriterxaboutxeverything, Hopeful Forgotten** (Sasuke is always sexy ;D...wait, that sounded too fangirlish of me...), **Diablo's Heir, **and **SarahiNia** for reviewing last chapter!


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